Control ofBotrytis cinereaby the resistance inducers benzothiadiazole (BTH) and hydrogen peroxide on white pepper fruits under postharvest storage

Abstract

Pepper fruits were sprayed with benzothiadiazole (BTH) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) three times after harvest. Three days after the third spray, pepper fruits were inoculated with Botrytis cinerea (10 5 conidia/ml under 20 °C, 99% relative humidity). Under postharvest conditions (without artificial inoculation) BTH at 0.9 mM and H 2 O 2 at 20 or 50 mM reduced the weight loss, natural rot rate and nitrate content, however, ascorbic acid content and the shelf-life of fruits were increased significantly.When pepper fruits were inoculated with the fungus and treated with BTH (0.9 mM) and H 2 O 2 (50 mM) treatments, disease severity was reduced to 29.6 and 34%, respectively, as compared with the control (77.3%). Diameter of necrotic lesions were 1.2 and 1.38 mm, respectively, as compared with the control (2.8 mm).BTH (0.9 mM) and H 2 O 2 (50 mM) increased the level of endogenous H 2 O 2 and total phenolic contents 3–6 days after inoculation (dai) which are considered to play a pivotal role in plant disease...